1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer-executable multimedia application which collects images from one or more sources, displays a plurality of the collected images on a computer-generated workbench, manipulates (e.g., color-corrects or edits) the images on the workbench, composes the images, and publishes a set of the images as an album or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
As background, FlashPix-format files store data for an image as well as additional information related to the image. Typically, Flashpix files store data for an image in multiple (e.g., four) resolutions, viewing parameters which comprise transformations and the like that affect how the image is displayed, and information related to the image, such as the date that the image was formed, etc. In addition, an "extension list" can be added to the FlashPix file, to store additional, user-specified information for the image, such as audio information.
Image editing applications, such as Microsoft's "PictureIt!", have been developed which take advantage of some of the features of the FlashPix file format relating to retrieval, correction, and display of images. These applications, however, have yet to exploit fully the advantages of FlashPix.
Conventional image editing applications retrieve a low resolution image from a FlashPix file, correct the low resolution image by changing viewing parameters for the image, and then retrieve a higher resolution image from the FlashPix file for printing. However, such applications do not retrieve and view a plurality of images which are to be published as a set of images in an album, a slide show, or the like. Because conventional applications do not display plural images from a set of images to be published, it is difficult to coordinate correction and composition of the images in the set.
Moreover, conventional image editing applications are also limited as to the types of information which are published with an image. For example, conventional image editing applications add audio information or a written caption to an image's FlashPix file, but do not add or publish information relating to the source of the image, such as whether the image was captured from a camera, the focal length of the camera, etc.
Thus, there exists a need for a system which creates a set of images having a FlashPix file format, and which displays a plurality of the images in the set, prior to publication of the set. Additionally, there exists a need for a system which publishes, along with each image, information relating to the source of the image.